Carol has a zest for life that is nearly palpable. She is a member of the Red Hat Society, she loves to crochet and she has a cat named Annie. But, what lights her up the most? Her family. She lives in Erie and is the mother of five adult children and 18 grandchildren. Her family is spread out across the United States and she enjoys catching up with them as often as possible. They are the most important part of her life.
Carol began having trouble with her hearing as a child, experiencing chronic ear infections, but she wasn’t diagnosed with hearing loss until she was an adult. At the time of her initial diagnosis six years ago, she could not afford the hearing aids that were recommended to her. Despite increasing feelings of isolation, she made the difficult decision to forgo the hearing aids that she needed. It was uncomfortable to have to always ask people to repeat themselves, so she began to avoid social situations.
Luckily, someone recommended a local Hearing Aid Specialist to Carol. Determined, Carol called and scheduled an appointment with Affordable Care Hearing Aid. Tina Schiefelbein, Hearing Instrument Specialist, evaluated Carol’s hearing and recommended hearing aids that would help her hear and understand speech, even with background noise. While the price was still daunting, Tina talked with Carol about PATF and suggested that it may be worth applying for a loan to help cover the cost. Carol decided to apply, and was quickly approved. By the time this story is published, Carol will have received her third pair of hearing aids with the help of a PATF no-interest loan, and she is looking forward to staying active in the community and increasing her socialization with friends and family.
Carol reflects on her experience with PATF, saying, “The application process was quick and easy and the monthly repayment options are affordable for my budget.” In fact, when the loan payments for her second pair of hearing aids were too high at $51.39/month, PATF worked with Carol to extend her loan terms and lower her payments to make them more affordable at $34.26/month. Her advice to others who may be experiencing hearing loss: “Don’t wait – get your hearing tested and if you need a hearing aid, consider PATF for your financing needs.”